Paper fastener



April 1949- F. L. INNACELLI 2,468,072

PAPER FASTENER 'Filed Oct. 28, 1944 (gm-vendor 5. Finn/r [finacel/i Patented Apr. 26, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAPER FASTENER Frank L. Innacelli, United States Army Application October 28,1944, Serial No. 560,833 2 Claims. (o1. 24-153) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to paper file fasteners formed from flexible, non-metallic materials and more particularly to a keeper for engaging the spaced tongues of a base member for binding papers and the like.

Paper fasteners of the type to which this invention relates comprise a base member with spaced tongues adapted to pass through apertures in a keeper and then be arranged flat against the keeper. The fasteners of this type available commercially have been formed of soft metal heretofore and were objectionable owing to their weight, bulk and high cost. Numerous attempts have been made to procure light weight, nonmetallic paper fasteners, particularly since the advent of wartime restrictions on the use of metals. These attempts have been unsuccessful owing to the lack of an efiicient securing means. Thus, the non-metallic paper fasteners developed to date are insecure and easily separated merely by fiexing or opening the file bound therein.

It is the object of this invention to provide a flexible, non-metallic paper file fastener that is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture and eflicient in its operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a non-metallic pap'er file fastener that is capable of binding papers together securely and which will not become separated when the bound papers are opened or flexed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a non-metallic paper file fastener having a keeper adapted to grip each of the spaced tongues of the fastener at two points and force the tongues into frictional engagement with each other.

Other objects of this invention become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the fastener showing the base member, compressor plate and keeper unassembled;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the file fastener ready for assembly;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the file fastener partly assembled showing the spaced tongues in the keeper;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the file fastener completely assembled; and,

Figure 5 is an elevational view in cross-section of the file fastener completely assembled showing the relation of the parts thereof.

amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) fir Referring to the drawings, the main body of the file fastener I is of standard design and includes a broad fiat base member 2 having a pair of narrow flat elongated tongues 3 and 3' formed integrally thereon. The compressor plate 4 is similar in conformation to the base 2 of. the fastener and is perforated at each end to provide the apertures 5 and 5' which are adapted to receive the tongues 3 and 3. These elements are standard in the art of file fasteners, particularly those constructed of metal. The novel features of the present invention, however, reside in the keeper 6 which comprises a fiat oblong member approximately one-fourth the length of the compressor plate, provided with the slots 1 and 1' near the ends thereof, through which are threaded the tongues 3 and 3 of the fastener. The fastener, compressor plate and keeper are formed from heavy paper stock such as cardboard, fiber board or the like and may be reinforced by gluing a fabric material to the faces thereof. The compressor plate and keeper are preferably less flexible than the fastener.

When applying the device comprising this invention, the file fastener I is laid out fiat with the tongues 3 and 3' extending upwardly at right angles to the base 2. A file of papers which have been previously punched at the proper interval to receive the tongues 3 and 3' is then dropped over the tongues 3 and 3' on the base 2. Thereupon, the compressor plate 4 is placed on the top of the file, with tongues 3 and 3 extending through the apertures 5 and 5 in the compressor plate. The keeper 6 is then slipped on the tongue 3 in such a manner that tongue 3 will extend under the keeper 6 to the slot 1, thence upwardly through the slot 1, and across the face of the keeper 6 to the slot 1' through which it is threaded downwardly, emerging under the keeper 6. At this point the tongue 3 is bent over toward the tongue 3 and the tongue 3' is placed under the keeper 6 but above the tongue 3. The tongue 3' is then threaded upwardly through slot 1', across the face of the keeper 6 on top of the tongue 3 until the slot 1 is reached. There, the tongue 3' is threaded downwardly, but still above the tongue 3, through the slot 1 where it emerges from under the keeper 6, but above the tongue 3.

As a result of this operation the tongues 3 and 3' will extend in opposite directions from the keeper 6 and in loose relation thereto. To secure the file fastener the tongues are pulled tight and the keeper 6 is moved to the center of the compressor plate 4.

It is apparent from the foregoing description and Figure 5 of the drawings that the tongues 3 and 3' are each firmly gripped by the edges of the slots 1 and 1 in the keeper 6 as they extend therethrough. The keeper 6, furthermore, clamps the tongues 3 and 3' together in frictional engagement with one another thereby preventing the tongues from slipping out of the keeper. In this manner the file fastener binds the papers together tightly and is not easily separated. It is, therefore, readily apparent that the file fastener thus provided is light in weight, less bulky to use and efiicient in operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a paper fastener assembly comprising a plurality of cooperating parts one of which is a base provided with spaced tongues, acompressor' plate provided with apertures to receive the tongues and a keeper, the improvement which consists in the keeper having a fiat elongated body and a pair of spaced parallel transversely extending slots, both the said slots being adapted to receive the tongues in frictional engagement with the slots and with each other when thefasplurality of cooperating parts one of which is a base provided with spaced tongues, a compresser plate provided with apertures to receive the tongues and a keeper, the improvement which consists in the keeper having a flat elongated body and a pair of spaced parallel transversely extending slots adapted to receive in the body the tongues ofltherbase plate, both the said slots being adapted to receive the tongues in frictional engagement with the slots and with each other when the fastener is assembled in securing position.

FRANK L. INNACELLI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 17,485 Broad June 9, 1857 A. I. 195 Sheer Mar. 23, 1858 '3g976 Goss' Mar. 8, 1904 Re. 13,680' Hirsh Jan. 27 1914 Re. 14,974 Grant Nov. 2, 1920 2,015,461 Rand". Sept. 24, 1935 2,253,712 Kern Aug. 26, 941 

